A Rose, so Strong and Brave
by Littlefoot the Warrior
Summary: Sequel to A Rose, Sweet and Beautiful. Also a one-shot. Rose and the Doctor's relationship changes after Mickey stays in the Parallel World in "Age of Steel" Ten/Rose


The Doctor paced in his room. He had to do something about his love for Rose, a love he now can't express anymore. He had regenerated, and he felt as if she wasn't really attracted to him anymore. Of course, they both tried to forget the terrible day that started with their kiss under the Bridge of Sighs in Venice. He truly thought that they were together…

But not anymore. Mickey was on board, and he Doctor couldn't flirt with Rose while he was here. Just another reason that the Doctor hated Mickey. Sure, he did kind of save them at the school, where he reunited with Sarah-Jane, but in France he was no help at all.

He could hear them, laughing, across the hall in Rose's room. He hated the face that Mickey was in the Tardis. He tried to be inclusive with Mickey, and he tried to be nice, but he couldn't help but feel such jealousy for what he had. The Doctor left his room in a huff, to go fly the Tardis somewhere, anywhere, just so he could take his mind off it's current dilemma.

-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-

The Doctor placed the smallest do-hickey that had the Tardis' life force in it on the console, and the whole place lit up. They were ready to leave this parallel world, and Mickey behind.

He turned to face the doors, where Rose would come in. He wondered if she was kissing him goodbye. About a minute later, Rose came in, tears flowing down her cheeks. He held out his arms, holding her tight.

"I'm fine." She squirmed herself out of his arms, and sat down on the pilot's chair. The Doctor turned to set the Tardis into flight, leaving the parallel world. The Doctor looked at Rose, a hint of remorse in his eyes. He was always upset when she was upset. "I'm fine! Stop lookin' at me like that, it's buggin me!"

"I'm just worried about you, Rose."

"There's nothing to worry about! I'm fine, I can deal with it. Just leave me alone." She got up, and left for her room.

The Doctor buried his face in his hands. She always did this, always so brave when in reality she was heartbroken. He decided to check in on her, not knowing if it would be a good idea or a bad idea. He hopped down the stairs, went down the hallway to her door. Knocking on it, he was greeted with a pillow in the face.

"I told you to leave me alone!" Rose yelled at him. The Doctor stared at her, dumbfounded, and a twinge of sadness on his face. "I'm sorry." She apologized. "I just…I don't know. He was my best friend, and he left me…" She wiped her eyes with her sleeve. "In all fairness, I wasn't exactly a loving girlfriend. I mean, I was gone a year, then I kept traveling without him, and I hated being stuck there on earth…" she sniffed. Rose didn't finish her sentence, she silently wept, and the Doctor took her in his arms.

"I think you did your best." He whispered soothingly, stroking her back, trying to calm her. Rose shook her head, her face buried in his chest. "What do you mean?" He lightened the tone of his voice. "You were fantastic. Utterly fantastic. And remember," he looked Rose in the eye, "He didn't leave because of you."

"He would've stayed if I were better to him." She choked on her tears.

"You don't know that. You were always good to him."

"What about Venice? What about our kiss? I was definitely not good to him then!" She pulled herself away from the Doctor, giving him an accusing stare.

"He doesn't know–"

"But I do! And I feel awful about it, what I did. If I could, I would take it all back!" Rose snapped. The Doctor looked away, hurt by this comment. Rose quickly corrected herself: "I didn't mean–"

"No Rose, you do. I understand. I'm sorry." And the Doctor left her room.

Rose stood in her room, dressed in that ridiculous black dress and apron. She felt like a bumbling idiot. How could she be so careless, it was clear that the Doctor was sad that she had walked out on him that night, about a year ago. "_Was he just acting in the moment? He is sort of a ladies man, a typical bloke…but why would he kiss somebody under the Bridge of Sighs, where a couple could promise eternal love, if he was just being a typical bloke?"_ Rose thought to herself. "_I've never known the Doctor to get…physical…with anybody…"_

Rose smacked her head in frustration. She finally connected the dots, those vague, microscopic dots that were so small in numbers.

But she wasn't ready yet. She was still getting over her loss of Mickey, and that would take awhile, even if she did, well, love _him_.

She changed her clothes, and raced off to the Doctor's room. She found him engrossed in his work, busying himself over 5 other versions of his sonic screwdriver, and building one. Perhaps he was trying to get it to work on wood…

"Doctor?"

The Doctor turned, expecting to see Rose as she was before, but now she was wearing a 1950's style white dress, black raybands, black shoes, and her hair pulled into a ponytail.

"What are you wearing?" He instantly recognized her outfit. It was the exact same one she wore in Venice.

"Can I make a request as to where we go next?"

"Yeah, uhm," He stood up from the floor, almost stepping on one of his old sonic screwdrivers. "Where were you thinking?" He tried to sound cheery.

"Venice, 1950." Rose smiled. "About 5 minutes before sunset. And somewhere close to the Bridge of Sighs." She rushed up to the Doctor, gave him a big kiss on the cheek, and ran off to the console room.

"Yup, still got it." He said, fixing his hair.


End file.
